Why We Can’t Lose Weight (and What to Do About It) | Former FDA Commissioner

Ever feel like your battle with weight loss is a fight you can’t win, no matter the amount of healthy eating? You’re not lazy, and you don’t lack willpower—you’ve been set up to fail by a food system that has hijacked your biology. In this powerful episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with the ultimate insider, Dr. David Kessler—a physician, lawyer, and the former FDA Commissioner who famously took on Big Tobacco and won. Dr. Kessler reveals his own 40-pound weight gain after leading the White House COVID-19 response and how it led him to uncover the truth about our metabolic crisis. We uncover how the food industry has engineered an alternate universe of ultra-processed foods designed to be addictive, creating a "food carnival" that keeps us coming back for more. Dr. Kessler also unveils his groundbreaking petition to the FDA—a brilliant legal strategy that uses the food industry's own rules against them to potentially transform our food supply forever. This conversation is a masterclass in the science of food addiction, the failure of public policy, and the practical steps we can all take to finally reclaim our health. In this episode, we dive into: Why Dr. Kessler, former head of the FDA, couldn't control his own weight The science of food addiction and how dopamine circuits in your brain get hijacked How "toxic" visceral fat is the true cause of heart failure, diabetes, and even dementia The legal loophole ("GRAS") that allows harmful ingredients in our food Dr. Kessler’s plan to hold the food industry accountable, just like Big Tobacco The real story behind GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic): how they work and if they're a long-term solution What Dr. Kessler’s ⁠FDA petition⁠ could mean for limiting processed carbs in our food supply and improving our collective health. - https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2025-P-3071-0001 Plus, here’s a bonus: We’ve adapted Dr. Kelsser’s petition into a free PDF guide—⁠The Hard Truth About Processed Carbs⁠—so you can see exactly how these ingredients affect your health…and why his FDA petition REALLY matters. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0279/9910/9251/files/The_Hard_Truth_About_Processed_Carbs.pdf View Show Notes From This Episode https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep1077 Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the Hyman Hive - https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=episode1065&utm_content=link Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Seed, Paleovalley, Function Health, Timeline and AirDoctor. Visit https://seed.com/hyman and use code 25HYMAN for 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic. Get nutrient-dense, whole foods. Head to https://paleovalley.com/hyman for 15% off your first purchase. Join today at https://FunctionHealth.com/Mark and use code HYMAN100 to get $100 toward your membership. Support essential mitochondrial health and save 20% on Mitopure. Visit https://timeline.com/drhyman to get 20% off today. Get cleaner air. Right now, you can get up to $300 off at https://airdoctorpro.com/drhyman. #DrMarkHyman #DavidKessler #WeightLoss #FoodAddiction #UltraProcessedFoods #MetabolicHealth #FDA #Ozempic #Nutrition (0:00) Dr. David Kessler's personal struggle with weight and America's metabolic crisis (1:15) Dr. Hyman's introduction and community call to action (1:31) Welcome and career overview of Dr. Kessler (2:15) Lessons from tobacco addiction for food addiction (3:20) The biological truth about weight gain, addiction, and toxic fat (10:22) Diet, environment, and obesity: Understanding addiction and food cues (17:43) The importance of insulin levels and the challenge of reclaiming health (21:36) The food industry's role in the metabolic crisis and changes in the American food supply (25:03) Comparison to the tobacco industry and the lack of research on food processing (29:25) Metabolic consequences of ultra-processed foods and FDA's role (36:26) Historical context and legal implications of GRAS status (45:20) The potential for reformulating the food system (49:13) Introduction to the Hyman Hive membership community (50:10) Regulatory changes and public health education for industry accountability (58:02) Individual strategies against the current food environment and GLP-1 drugs (1:06:00) The importance of comprehensive care in weight management (1:07:16) Systemic changes needed in the broader food environment (1:08:10) Government policy and health-promoting foods: SNAP and policy convergence (1:09:55) Reclaiming health, Dr. Kessler's legacy, and mobilizing for change (1:11:00) Closing remarks and call to action